Ascensions
Humans can ascend, though how often this mysterious process happens appears to be based on how they live their life: the relationships they form, the risks they take, the changes to themselves they pursue or enable. There are a few things that are known, though. Some people never ascend. Some people ascend so quickly they hoard ascensions. Demons have told us that the basic ascension paths are linked to actions, not fate. Because of that, a prominent demonologist who was a tarot reader ironically named the different known or speculated paths after tarot cards, names which stuck. Each tier of ascension gives a human host another 25 or so years onto their natural lifespan. Note that a violent death will still kill them, just not the natural process of aging. This doesn't get tacked on to the end, or allow someone to regain lost youth: rather, it becomes as if, from that point their maturation was at, they started aging as if they had 25 more years elongated over the rest of their human life. If you were 25 at your first ascension, you'll look under 40 when you're 50. If you're 60 at your first ascension, you'll still look under 70 when you're far older than that. Ascending at higher tiers allows a human to change shape into their ascension form. All aspects of an ascension form don't have to be kept (you could, for example, keep the animal ears but not the matching tail). When you go beyond that ascension's basic path, reaching say tier 4 after tier 3, you lose tier 3 of that path's ascended form and ascension. You may refuse to follow the roads placed before you. If you do, you must do something worthy of ascending again in that path to achieve another chance to ascend. Choose wisely. You can follow more than one ascension path, but you cannot gain 25 years to your lifespan unless you reach a higher level than you’ve reached in another ascension path. 10 ascensions won’t get you 250 years to live, and certainly not if they’re all at tier 1, as demonologists mark it. But when you ascend past the first tier in any of those ascensions, you will now have another 50 years to live. Ascensions are also known to affect demons, amplifying their power over some of their dominions and sometimes changing their form, particularly primal demons. Ascending is viewed by some as the key to immortality, to a human living an eternal life. No one knows how high the levels of ascension grow. Ascensions and gaining new dominions only happen organically. You can’t farm for ascensions, though believe me, people have tried. If you genuinely improve or debase yourself, you are likely to ascend or gain the plant dominion. If you interact with flowers in ten instances, that won’t give you the plant dominion. Seek to better yourself — or worsen yourself! Ascension Paths There are many possible pathways that can be unlocked. A human can follow one, or several; there is no limit to ascension pathways that can become available. The Fool The Fool is about starting a journey without knowing where it will end or being really in any way prepared for it. Idealism, foolishness, lightheartedness, and innocence are big themes of this card. On the darker side, it can be dangerous naivety. Gaining This Ascension Getting ridiculously lucky Not being killed when by all rights you should have been Heading into something completely unprepared with no thought to consequences Starting on a quest or journey alone or with others Potential Physical Traits Animal characteristics, especially animals known as tricksters (coyotes, monkeys, spiders, rabbits?) “Goofy” or “Clownish” traits Ascension Powers You can also manipulate luck. Be careful — luck might manipulate back. You will now receive either -1, 0, or +1 marker on all rolls in admin events, decided by a three-sided dice roll. Flight is augmented Phasing is augmented Dreams is augmented Hallucinations is augmented The Magician What the Fool lacks, the Magician has in abundance. This card signifies subtlety, skill, diplomacy, and self-confidence based on ability (as opposed to foolish optimism). People on this path are prepared for the life they choose and attack it with a plan. The card also can be a portent of illness, be it physical or of the mind. Gaining This Ascension Preparing for a journey or event Gaining a new skill Mastering a skill Making elaborate plans Giving speeches Settling disagreements through diplomacy to your own advantage Worsening health Potential Physical Traits A dramatic voice A light glow around you Ink-stained fingers Worsening health A persistent cough Fatigue Physical weakness Ascension Powers You can now cause minor illness in yourself and others. Technopathy is augmented Magnetism is augmented Alchemy is augmented Psychic is augmented Biomancy is augmented The High Priestess The High Priestess is about science, wisdom, knowledge, and education. The reversed/dark side is passion, moral or physical ardour, conceit, surface knowledge. The High Priestess is somewhat secretive about her knowledge. Gaining This Ascension Finally understanding something you have struggled with Deciding to further your education. Approaching something scientifically Becoming passionate about a cause Showing a new level of conceit Doing something with only surface knowledge and believing yourself a master Discovering and keeping important knowledge of the world as secrets Potential Physical Traits Sphinx-like Owls Gods of Intellect (Athena, for example) Feminine traits Ascension Powers You can now experience improved concentration, memory and academic skill. Paper is augmented Animation is augmented Shadow is augmented Sound is augmented The Empress The Empress card is about the female aspects of ruling, creating, care-taking, and mothering. It has a definite dark side-- those on the path of the Empress can become overly invested in the lives of their charges, smothering, and controlling. Gaining This Ascension The first steps on the path of the Empress almost always involves having a child or taking in someone younger, weaker, and/or in more need than yourself. Sometimes a project or a cause can be substituted, if it is treated as tenderly as a child. Progression on this path happens as you become more and more invested in the life of the person you’re caring for, be it for better or worse. Potential Physical Traits “Womanly traits” Weight gain and curves are somewhat common You may acquire a more calming touch, a gentler voice, warmer hands, and/or the inexplicable smell of baking bread Earthy, tree-like growths have also been reported. Ascension Powers You can now calm and cajole others, gaining the automatic trust of children and lost youth. You now gain additional strength when fighting to protect others (+2 on all rolls of that kind). Superior Endurance is augmented Earth is augmented Plants is augmented Water is augmented The Emperor The Emperor path is about the male side of ruling and conquering. The ascendant on the path of the Emperor is becoming more powerful, gaining stability and control in their life, and accepting leadership over others. In the negative sense, the Emperor can become a tyrant. Gaining This Ascension Being or becoming the head of a household, organization, task force, or other group of people Exercising power over others, whether for their benefit or not Gaining material wealth or recognition Adhering to a strict moral code or set of rules that does not allow for exceptions or grey areas Having control over a number of resources Potential Physical Traits “Manly” traits-- beards, muscles Weight gain Increases in height A deeper, more authoritative voice Becoming more intimidating to those around you Ascension Powers You seem to attract wealth and power. Earth is augmented Superior Strength is augmented Superior Speed is augmented Gold Touch is augmented The Hierophant The Hierophant is about the teacher/student or mentor/mentee relationship. This card is a symbol of knowledge, especially knowledge rooted in tradition and shared somewhat freely. Where the High Priestess and the Hermit keep their secrets, the Hierophant teaches others. If the card is reversed, the relationship is unhealthy-- the teacher asks too much of the student, the mentee becomes an indentured servant. Gaining This Ascension Becoming a teacher or mentor Gaining a teacher or mentor Learning a trade Learning in general Reading constantly Following a strict tradition or path of study Being manipulated over a long period of time Being enslaved Owing something to another Potential Physical Traits Stronger eyesight Metal cuffs around wrists and/or ankles Nimble hands and fingers Ascension Powers You can now read and learn more quickly and understand more of what is read. Paper is augmented Technopathy is augmented Telepathy is augmented Empathy is augmented The Lovers The Lovers card represents attraction, love, beauty, and trials overcome. The Lovers card can also represent perfection, harmony, and mutual attractiveness. On the reversed side, however, it represents failure, avoiding responsibility for your actions, rushed decisions, and the challenging of your personal belief system. A Lovers’ bond to another is prone to be toxic, if one allows it to be. Gaining This Ascension Making reckless decisions Valuing beauty/clothing Being a social butterfly Trying to enact a change on a public affair Overcoming a challenge (ex. Finishing a project long overdue or getting a promotion) Trying to find love in all types of places Failing to put blame on one’s self when a problem arises Forming a strong bond with another person Having an unrequited love Taking control of a risky situation Always trying to be perfect for one’s self or for another Obsessive choices Getting married Potential Physical Traits A glowing light around the body A gentle, softer voice A slightly androgynous body figure Ascension Powers You can now easily persuade other people. The empathy dominion has a greater effect on you than on most. Any dominion you and the person you most care about share is also augmented. Pathfinding is augmented Empathy is augmented Telepathy is augmented Pheromones augmented The Chariot The Chariot card represents succor, providence, and also war, triumph, presumption, vengeance, trouble in general. The reversed side of the Chariot represents riot, quarrel, dispute, litigation, defeat. The Chariot is a violent card by nature. Gaining This Ascension Picking a fight Violent acts—particularly new lows Putting a loved one in danger Getting vengeance Swearing vengeance Going looking for trouble Being involved in or starting a riot Quarreling with a loved one Feeling despair/defeatedness Trying at something and failing/being overcome Potential Physical Traits More defined musculature War paint appearing as if by tattoos Ascension Powers You can now manifest weapon(s) at will, whether or not you’re in ascension form. Fire is augmented Blood is augmented Combustion is augmented Poison is augmented Strength Strength isn’t just about power. It’s also about control of power. This path really splits into opposite paths: the path of controlled power, passion used to achieve goals and preserve personal ideals, and the path of mindless, directionless use of power. These are represented by whether the card is upright or reversed: Is the lady taming the lion, or is the lion eating the lady? Gaining This Ascension The Lady Using controlled anger and/or passion to enact change Calming passion when ineffective Using reason over emotion Playing by rules of society to get what you want Diffusing a potentially explosive situation The Lion Being unable to contain your temper Throwing a temper tantrum Disregarding or destroying social norms Starting fights Escalating situations The Lady and The Lion Fighting for a cause Potential Physical Traits The Lady Cleaner appearance Smoother hands Soft, soothing voice The Lion More unkempt/wild appearance Longer hair Lion traits Ascension Powers You can now experience increased mental capacity, but you may become more animalistic. Shapeshifter is augmented Superior senses are augmented Superior endurance is augmented Superior strength is augmented Superior speed is augmented The Hermit The Hermit is about prudence, circumspection; also (and especially) treason, dissimulation, roguery, corruption. The reversed side is concealment, disguise, policy, fear, unreasoned caution. This path practices and embodies deception. Gaining This Ascension Lying about something you don’t want to lie about Treachery Backstabbing a friend Having the ability to help someone/get involved with something, and pausing, or deciding not to do it Concealing the truth from a loved one Becoming afraid of something Becoming paranoid about something Doing something conniving Participating in corruption Being involved in a scandal Potential Physical Traits Becoming more handsome/beautiful, the more you sin Faint impression of thorns appear on your skin Ascension Powers You can now tell better lies, and do better card tricks. Mimicry is augmented Duplicity is augmented Pheromones is augmented Pathfinding is augmented Invisibility is augmented Wheel of Fortune The Wheel of Fortune encompasses destiny, fortune, success, elevation, luck, felicity. Its reversed path deals with increase, abundance, superfluity. This is primarily a very positive card, but it has its dark elements: destiny is not always kind. Gaining This Ascension Winning a prize Pursuing your dreams Achieving success in your job Finding something you should have known was there all along Obsessing over superfluous knowledge Gaining something after a long struggle Happening upon someone you wanted to see or were thinking about Potential Physical Traits Golden glow Wings Ascension Powers You now have increased luck—all your rolls during an admin event will gain a -1, 0, +1, or +2 marker, decided by a four sided dice roll. Air is augmented Flight is augmented Scrying is augmented Light is augmented Justice The Justice card represents justice, honesty, fairness, truth and the law. Justice reflects the search for truth. Reversed, it shows the dishonesty to yourself and to others. It shows the unwillingness to understand things on a deeper meaning, you can be very judgmental and see the world as black-and-white. Justice represents a conscious awareness that your decisions and actions have long-term consequences and your present and future circumstances are most likely a result of these decisions and actions. Gaining This Ascension You listen to both sides of the story before passing judgement You stand up to injustice quickly You choose to be honest and unbiased You choose to work for the Legion or other criminal justice branches You suffer from anxiety due to bad judgement You become paranoid due to your actions to act against protocol You protect the innocent and punish the bad: legally or illegally. Using unethical ways to see justice done to those who deserve it You choose to become a vigilante You see the world as this or that, nothing in between Potential Physical Traits A warm, golden aura Others see you as bright and trusting An attention-grabbing voice A tattoo of a balanced scale on the back of your left hand; a double-edged sword on your right. Ascension Powers You can now have increased persuasion. Superior senses are augmented Fire is augmented Telepathy is augmented Weather is augmented The Hanged Man The Hanged Man is all about sacrifice, trials, wisdom, circumspection, discernment, divination, and prophecy. Its reversed meanings are selfishness, the crowd, body politic. The hanged man particularly has the notion of an effigy to be burned. Gaining This Ascension Sacrificing yourself physically for another Sacrificing your health or happiness for another Putting someone’s needs before your own Becoming a scapegoat Showing wisdom uncommon for your age Considering multiple paths or options carefully, and coming to a wise choice Showing unusually discerning tastes Being popularly disliked Potential Physical Traits X’s on your hands Imprint of a noose tattoo around your neck Ascension Powers You can now protect others: you gain +1 on all dice rolls when fighting to or trying to protect someone. You can take some of another person’s pain, emotional, psychological, or physical, and pull it into yourself, thus relieving them of part of it. You can also take wounds from someone else and put them onto your body. Scrying is augmented Psychic is augmented Empathy is augmented Electricity is augmented Death Death spells out an end, mortality, destruction, corruption also, for a man, the loss of a benefactor, and for a woman, many contrarieties; for a maid, failure of marriage projects. The reversed meanings are inertia, sleep, lethargy, petrifaction, somnambulism; hope destroyed. Gaining This Ascension Losing someone close to you. Experiencing debilitating mental illness Grief in general, even if only on the loss of comfort or an ideal Losing the protection of someone or something Ending or losing a relationship, particularly a long-term one Becoming ill Facing your own mortality Losing hope Near death experiences Blaming yourself for someone’s death Potential Physical Traits Pallor Sunken eyes A scythe tattoo Ascension Powers People now find you uneasy to be around. Necromancy is augmented Necrosis is augmented Biomancy is augmented Blood is augmented Temperance Temperance represents economy, moderation, frugality, management, accommodation. Its reversed meaning is things connected with churches, religions, sects, the priesthood, sometimes even the priest who will marry the Querent; also disunion, unfortunate combinations, competing interests. Gaining This Ascension Joining a religion Becoming a priest Gaining faith in something (a cause, for example) Being frugal with money Being a skinflint Managing others well Managing yourself well Giving up a habit, good or bad Starting a business Potential Physical Traits Magpie characteristics Crow characteristics Golden sheen to their hands Ascension Powers You are now able to innately see patterns in everything you encounter. Alchemy is augmented Gold touch is augmented Magnetism is augmented Metal is augmented The Devil The devil is about tempting and manipulating others. In some cases it can be benign-- helping someone let go of a rigid structure and relax, tempting someone to leave a bad situation-- but it is mostly seen as negative. Gaining This Ascension Manipulating others Gaining power through underhanded means Declaring or claiming ownership over humans or demons Committing crimes Tempting others to break laws or moral codes Causing damage to others Holding grudges Getting revenge Potential Physical Traits If the character is Christian: cloven feet, tail, horns, redness If the character is Shinto/Zen Buddhist: Oni or Tengu characteristics If the character is Muslim: Djinn characteristics If the character is another religion or atheist: Generic evil sorts of things Ascension Powers You can now more easily influence or manipulate others. Shadow is augmented Duplicity is augmented Fire is augmented Combustion is augmented The Tower The tower is about a complete (or near-complete) disruption of something the human previously took for granted. If it is truly the Tower card, the change should be sudden (based on one or a few key events rather than long contemplation), few (if any) remnants of the security once present should be left, and the change should be long-lasting/irreversible. Gaining This Ascension Disowning or being disowned by a close family member Discovering you have family when your identity was built on having none Going from firmly believing there is a God to firmly believing there isn’t, or vice versa Suddenly losing faith in the organization you dedicated yourself to Being forced to seriously reevaluate your moral code and discovering you were wrong Acting against a strongly held belief Potential Physical Traits Appearance becomes more chaotic May cause onlookers to feel fear or discomfort Ascension Powers People now naturally find you more intimidating. Combustion is augmented Blood is augmented Biomancy is augmented Dust is augmented The Star The Star represents loss, theft, privation, abandonment; another reading says: hope and bright prospects. Its reverse meanings are arrogance, haughtiness, impotence. Gaining This Ascension Losing something important to yourself Losing your faith in something Losing your innocence Losing your ideals Stealing from someone Being stolen from, in a lot of different senses Being abandoned Abandoning another Abandoning a cause Being haughty or arrogant Feeling impotent to act Erectile dysfunction Difficulty conceiving a child/miscarriages Potential Physical Traits Different types of stars appearing on someone’s skin, as if tattooed These stars for some people can be religious symbols, if they follow that religion (for example, a devoutly Jewish person might have the Star of David on them). Ascension Powers You now possess the ability to steal much more easily without getting caught. Light is augmented Animation is augmented Pathfinding is augmented Steam is augmented The Moon The moon is a dark card. It encompasses hidden enemies, danger, calumny, darkness, terror, deception, occult forces, error. Its reversed side represents instability, inconstancy, silence, lesser degrees of deception and error. Gaining This Ascension Betraying someone from the shadows. Being unaware of hidden enemies until too late. Facing dangerous situations Spreading calumny Having it spread Feeling oppressed by darkness within your own personality Feeling terror Inspiring terror in others Embracing your darkest impulses Deceiving others Being deceived Being villainous Making a grave error Being or becoming unstable Being inconstant Wrapping your lies in silence Potential Physical Traits A dagger under your eye The changes of the moon appearing around your neck The features of nocturnal creatures (bats and owls, for example) Ascension Powers You are now able to deceive others more easily. Shadow is augmented Scrying is augmented Reflections is augmented Poison is augmented The Sun The Sun is a beautiful and positive card, for the more carefree and blissful of experiences. The Sun encompasses material happiness, fortunate marriage, contentment. Its reversed meaning is the same, in a lesser sense. Eternal optimists often follow this path. Gaining This Ascension Taking a positive spin on a negative situation Being optimistic Having a winning personality Being carefree Wandering through life Being extremely happy and content with one’s life Having a loving partner who you’re happy with Being comfortable, inside and out Being wealthy Being content with your lot and/or who you are Potential Physical Traits Sunnier disposition The rays of the sun appear on the backs of your hand, as if tattooed. Ascension Powers You can now brighten up a room just with your presence. Light is augmented Fire is augmented Empathy is augmented Pheromones are augmented Judgment Judgment is all about a change of position that the human previously held; it can also mean that there will be some kind of renewal and outcome that may come of their actions/choices. Judgment can be seen as both positive and negative, as the reverse side of Judgment can sometimes make people rather pusillanimous - aka. cowardly - and this can result in a lack of resolution, as well as a weakness, for the user. Gaining This Ascension Being anxious and cowardly. Changing jobs/positions. Helping others find a solution to their problems. Finding solutions for your own problems. Choosing the simplest route over the hardest route. Making decisions for yourself and others. Potential Physical Traits Wings. Oddly-colored hair. Cowardly traits. Small clouds roam around the body. Clean, healthy skin. Ascension Powers You can now influence people more easily into making right or wrong decisions. Air is augmented Flight is augmented Pheromones are augmented Gravity is augmented The World The world is a card of assured success, recompense, voyage, route, emigration, flight, change of place. Its reversed meanings are inertia, fixity, stagnation, permanence. Gaining This Ascension Being successful Getting recompense or asking for fair recompense for a wrongdoing Going on a long voyage Finding the route you should be on Emigrating to a new country or place Fleeing something Experiencing extreme inertia Stagnating in your employment A fixed worldview Seeing things around you as permanent Potential Physical Traits Maps appearing on your skin, sometimes useless, sometimes for pointed reasons Wings appearing Taking on the form of an animal Ascension Powers You are now able to find your way and never seem to get lost. Flight is augmented Water is augmented Earth is augmented Dust is augmented